Island



UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

HARVEY LUTHER, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

MODE OF CONNECTING TOGETHER THE FRAMES OF CLOTHES-HORSES.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 2,098, dated May 19, 1841.

To all 10h-0m t may concern:

Be it known that I, HARVEY LUTHER, of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and Improved Mode of Connect-ing the Several Frames Oomposing a Clothes-Stand by Means of a Hinge, called by me the Folding Hinge g and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of the clothes stand, consisting of their frames hinged together; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of two rods hinged with one hinge; Fig. S is a view of two rods in contact, having a groove cut in each for hinging, and Fig. 4, is a view of two rods with the cords passed around them yet unfastened.

The clothes stand to which this invention is applicable consists of two or more light frames A B C D-E F G H-K L M N, Fig. l, made of wood and hinged together at O P, Fig. l. Each frame consists of two cylindrical perpendicular rods connected by slats (l, 2, 3, 4,) being in shape like the frame of clothes stands in common use, eX- cept that the perpendicular rods are cylindrical.

By this invention, the several frames are connected together in the following manner. Two or more slight grooves are cut around each of the two rods to be hinged together at O P Fig. 1, two of which grooves, to wit, one on each rod are represented by a, b-c Z in Fig. 3 of the said drawings. The grooves on each rod (L, 5 0, Z Fig. 3 must exactly correspond so that when two perpendicular rods are brought into contact longitudinally, and their lower extremities both rest on a level surface, the grooves a --c d Fig. 3, shall be in the same hori Zontal plane. The -grooves need be no broader or deeper than will fully receive the cord or chain to be used in hinging the rods together. A piece of hemp, cotton or other cord, or smooth chain, is passed around each rod in the grooves a, b-G, Z Fig. 3, so as to be crossed between the rods at y, Fig. 4. The two rods are then brought into contact longitudinally as in Fig. 3. The two ends of the cord or chain m, fn, Fig. 4L are then drawn tight and are tied in a secure knot, or otherwise fastened within the groove of one ot' the rods, as at 'I Fig. 2, and at a point in a line with the junction of the rods and several slats, so as to allow the frames, thus hinged, to be folded and opened in either direction. At the point where the knot is tied, or the cord or chainV otherwise fastened together on one rod, and at a correspon'ding point on the other rod, the cord or chain must be secured to the rod, by a small tack or nail driven through it into the rod. The cord or chain hinge thus made will have and ret-ain at all times the shape of a figure 8 or the figure of two contiguous circles.

I am aware that clothes stands, &c., have been hinged by means of cords or straps attached to square rods so as to allow them to fold in either direction and I do not therefore claim this as my invention, but

What I do claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isw

rPhe .peculiar manner in which I make the hinges that is to say I claim the making the rods constituting the sides of the frames which .come together-rods with grooves in them, in combination wit-h the method of uniting them by means of cords or chains, in the grooves, as herein described.

HARVEY LUTHER.

Vitnesses Trios. F. CARPENTER, ABRAHAM PAYNE. 

